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Configuration and troubleshooting of E-Mail in PowerChute Business Edition

Issue:
How to configuring PowerChute Business Edition to send emails.

Product Line:
PowerChute Business Edition

Environment:
All supported OS

Cause:
Need help setting up e-mail or e-mail notification is not working properly when configuring PowerChute Business Edition.

Solution:

During installation of the PowerChute Business Edition Server, you are prompted to create a Configuration Profile. If Server is already installed, you can modify the profile through the console under Tools by selecting Change Configuration Profile. Click the Email/Paging settings tab and configure the SMTP server, Username (the e-mail address that will appear in the from field of the e-mail), and the Destination E-mail (who the e-mail will be addressed to). You will need to click add before typing in the destination email. Apply settings.

The UPS events that will trigger notifications or emails through PowerChute Business Edition Console and Server are documented in the PowerChute Business Edition help file, which can be accessed through the Console.
To configure the SMTP Server Name, you must perform an NSLOOKUP to find the FQDN(or Fully Qualified Domain Name) of the SMTP server. PowerChute Business Edition is capable of sending email to one recipient SMTP server, this means that all of the recipient email addresses must be on the same domain or relaying must be used on an outgoing SMTP server.

1. Open a command prompt (DOS prompt) and type nslookup and press enter
a. The default DNS server name and IP address should be displayed
b. Type set type=mx at the prompt and press enter
c. Type the domain name of the recipient email account (ie hotmail.com, apcc.com, yahoo.com) and press enter. A list of email and dns server names will appear. We are looking for entries similar to the following:
domain.com MX preference = 20, mail exchanger = servername.domain.com
domain.com MX preference = 10, mail exchanger = servername2.domain.com

2. Look for the server name which corresponds to the lowest numbered MX preference and use that name as the SMTP Server Name.

2. Type the IP address of the SMTP mail server and type in the # 25 in the Port Name field, then press connect.
Windows system
1. Go to Start | Run
2. Type Telnet
3. Type Open <IpAddress> 25 (where <IpAddress> represents the IP address of your SMTP server).

If this fails, your SMTP server is not properly configured.

3. Perform a DNS reverse lookup. When an Exchange Server receives a request to email from PowerChute Business Edition, it attempts a DNS reverse lookup. A DNS reverse lookup is a query performed to the DNS server that verifies the computer's host name FQDN and IP Address that is running PowerChute. This is done as a security measure, ensuring that the Exchange transaction log accurately shows what computer attempts to send messages. If there is no static entry for both the host name and IP Address of the server and a reverse lookup entry, the Exchange server is unable to validate the sender and PowerChute plus's email fails. Find the DNS Server that the Exchange Server uses and ask its administrator to add a DNS entry and a DNS reverse lookup entry of the computer running PowerChute plus so that Exchange will be able to validate it when sending email.
4. In order to test the email functionality, a manual test is required. A manual test will consist of putting the UPS on battery by removing input power. An email should be generated and sent to the configured email address. Login to this email address and verify the contents of the test email.

5. If your SMTP server is properly configured and you are still experiencing difficulties please contact APC Technical Support. http://www.apc.com/site/support/